Envision this: a dedicated full-time mother, adept part-time bookkeeper, and an unwavering aficionado of sarcasm—namely, myself. The delicate balance of these roles often provided little latitude for embracing the timeless concept such as "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life"

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Amid the significant backdrop of the Great Pandemic of 2020 (trademark pending), a period fraught with the challenges of depression, anxiety, and a unique flavour of not-so-teenage angst, I found myself compelled to explore a new avenue. Newly armed with a lathe and a discerning sense of humor, I jumped head first into the realm of woodturning. What initially served as a therapeutic respite from the tumultuous external (and internal) environment swiftly evolved into a business undertaking. I've spent hours on YouTube, joined a guild, and crowd sourced the woodturning community for support. 

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I'm passionate about getting others into turning and teaching the next generation that it's okay that females are into these things. That its expected of them. And I long for the day when the store owners don't talk to the guys next to me when I go to pick up my tools. Learning wood turning is a massive undertaking with huge barriers to entry. Tools are often given to the men in the family and women's tools are often...sigh...pink. 

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My commitment to utilizing predominantly locally sourced wood, minimizing travel beyond the scope of my own journeys, underscores my dedication to environmental sustainability. Furthermore, my conscientious approach extends to recycling, ensuring that no viable piece of wood goes to waste (humblebrag: I often donate the shavings to farmers or animal rescue places around here. I had grand visions of turning the shavings into fire starters but this year has been busy).

 

Presently, I find myself engaged in the meticulous craft of trying to produce high-quality items, all while infusing a subtle touch of sarcasm. 

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On the technical side, I use a Laguna 1836 Lathe -- which I love, and a variety of woodturning tools sourced from garage sales, retired woodturners and bad tool investment strategies. I use a modified Kelton hollowing system, and a One Way coring system just put into use later. 

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And on a personal side, I live with my two sons and a 1997 GMC Sierra truck on the west coast of Vancouver Island where I'm minutes from the ocean.